Page 80 of Chilled
“I’m coming with you.” Paul grabbed his jacket.
“Me, too,” Melissa echoed.
“We need something higher off the ground than a sedan.” Nick stared across at Paul and Melissa.
“That would be the truck I rented.” Melissa pulled her keys from her pocket and tossed them at Nick.
Nick and Melissa climbed in the front seat of the fire-engine-red, four-wheel-drive pickup. Paul slid into the backseat and leaned over the top. “What’s with the pickup?”
Melissa crossed her arms over her chest. “You’re not a Texan unless you drive a pickup.”
“But you’re not a Texan,” Paul said. “And we’re not in Texas.”
Melissa’s brow rose. “I’m working on that. I have my paperwork in for my next assignment.”
Before Paul could reply, his cell phone rang. He answered,“Agent Fletcher.” He listened. “Right, we’re on our way.”
“NDBCI?” Nick glanced over his shoulder.
“Yeah. You were right. The GPS pinpoints her location at five miles north of Riverton on Highway 7.”
Nick’s teeth ground together as they headed north on Lincoln Street, weaving through traffic bent on heading west, away from the flooding Red River.
Water stood four inches deep on some of the streets, and by the reports back at the police station, it would only get worse. One breach in the levy system was dumping hundreds of gallons of water a minute into the city's river district. Those who hadn’t gotten out wouldn’t without rescue now.
By the time they reached the turn to Highway 7, the water was up to six inches and rising.
“Isn’t that the levy over there?” Melissa pointed to the right.
Nick’s hands gripped the steering wheel as he concentrated on keeping the vehicle between the ditches. “Yes.”
“Kinda scary knowing the river is cresting over the levy in other areas, considering the levy rises above this road.”
Nick didn’t respond. If the levy burst before he got to Brenna, he’d damn well swim the rest of the way. The woman had more courage and gumption than any other he’d ever met. She loved this town enough to risk her life to save its inhabitants. The least he could do was risk his own life to save her.
Clouds choked the sun from the sky and rain drizzled onto the windshield.
“Geez, as if there isn’t enough water to worry about,” Melissa said as Nick switched the wipers on.
Brenna’s grandmother’s house loomed on the horizon. The house and huge metal barn were surrounded by a lake of water.
Plowing through twelve inches of water now, Nick prayed the truck would stay on the road long enough to get to the next house. To Brenna.
“There’s Jensen’s SUV!” Melissa shouted. “And look, fire!”
Nick pulled in behind the SUV, blocking it from the road. Without bothering to shut off the engine, he leaped out of the truck and raced for the house, yelling over his shoulder, “You two take the back of the house. Don’t let Klaus get away.”
Nick didn’t wait for Melissa and Paul to take their places at the rear of the building. He knew they were capable as surely as he knew Brenna was inside that house.
Across the wide wooden porch, a wall of fire burned, the overpowering scent of diesel fuel permeating the air. The smoke rising above the blaze burned black. Stan had doused the house in fuel to burn it to the ground with Brenna inside.
Nick slung his jacket into the icy water around his feet, drenching the leather before draping it over his head and charging through the fire to the front door. Flames licked at his clothes, but he made it to the door. Wrapping his coat sleeve around the door handle, he tried to turn it, but it was locked. With his jacket as a shield, he slammed his elbow through the plate glass window and reached inside to unlock the deadbolt.
Once inside, he dropped into a crouch. Using his shirt to cover his nose, Nick moved through the room, his eyes stinging from the smoke. He felt his way across the floor until he bumped into an object on the floor.
The lump emitted a soft, feminine groan.
Nick fell to his knees and blinked several times before he could see blond hair spread out on the wood floor. “Brenna!” He rolled her over into his arms, but before he could lift her, a foot came out of the smoke and connected with his ribcage, sending him flying backward. His head slammed against a wooden rocker, and he struggled to get his bearings, his wet feet sliding on the smooth floor.
